Means for attaching boiler-tubes to the tube-sheets.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

H. L. MGOULLGUGH.

MEANS FOR ATTAGHING BOILER TUBES TO THE TUBE SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, .1904.

WI T/VE S8158 ATTOH/VE Y8 NITED STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY LOWELL MOGULLOUGH, OF CROPSEY, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,622, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed July 27,1904. Serial No. 218,487.

To (tZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LOWELL Mo- CULLOUGH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Cropsey, in the county of Mc- Lean and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Means for AttachingBoiler- Tubes to theTube-Sheets, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to steam-boilers; and its object is to provide anew and improved means for attaching the boiler-tubes to the heads ofthe tube-sheets and arranged to pre vent leakage due to unequalcontraction and expansion of the tubes and the tube-sheets.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a blank boiler-tube.Fig. 2 is a like view of the boiler-tube. Fig. 3 is a similar view ofthe same in position in the tube-sheet and prior to expanding the tube,and Fig. 4: is a like view of the completed structure or after expandingthe tube and forming an internal and external bead thereon.

In carrying out the invention the boilertube A has its end portion Athickened in an inward direction and for a length somewhat in excess ofthe thickness of the tube-sheet B, which latter has an opening B, intowhich fits the end portion A, as plainly indicated in Fig.

The end portion A is formed on its peripheral face with one or moreannular grooves A, spaced apart to leave one or more annular ridges Aand a shoulder A".

The wall of the opening B in the tube-sheet B is provided with annulargrooves B, corresponding in shape and position to the ridges A so thatwhen the end portion A is in position in the opening B and the endportion is expanded in the usual manner by suitable tools then theridges A enter and it the grooves B and the shoulder A becomes anannular bead butting against the inner face of the tube-sheet B.

The projecting terminal of the end portion A is formed into an annularhead A, (see Fig. 4,) butting against the outer face of the tubesheet B,so that the latter is engaged at both the inner and outer faces by beadsA A.

The ridges A are preferably rectangular in cross-section, as plainlyillustrated in the drawings, so that when an unequal expansion andcontraction of the boiler-tube and the tube-sheet takes place in eithera longitudinal or a diametrical direction then the said ridges stillremain in contact with the walls of their grooves in the tube-sheet B toprevent leakage.

In Fig. 4 the structure is shown in its completed form or after thespecially-constructed end portion of the tube has been expanded withinthe opening therefor in the tube-sheet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A boiler-tube having its end portion of reducedinternal diameter, and provided externally of said end portion withspaced annular grooves and an annular ridge between the grooves, theouter faces of the ridge and tube being substantially in the same plane.

2. -A boiler-tube having its wall uniformly thickened at the end portionto reduce the interior diameter of the end portion, the latter havingexternal spaced annular grooves, leaving an annular ridge between thegrooves.

3. A boiler-tube having its wall uniformly thickened at the end portionto reduce the interior diameter of the end portion, the latter havingexternal spaced annular grooves, leaving a plurality of spaced annularridges.

A boiler-tube having its end portion of reduced internal diameter, andprovided externally of said end portion with annular grooves and anannular ridge between the grooves, the outer faces of the ridge and tubebeing substantially in the same plane; combined to this specification inthe presence of two sub- With a tube-sheet provided with an openingscribing Witnesses. having in the Walls thereof an annular grooveadapted to receive said ridge on expanding" HENRY LOWELL MQCULLOUGH' 5the said end portion of the tube Within said lVitncsses:

opening. F. 0. STOCKBURGER,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name E. E. LAWS.

